Subj : Beer is not free.
To   : Angus McLeod
From : richardw
Date : Wed Oct 19 2005 11:26:00

  Re: Beer is not free.
  By: Angus McLeod to richardw on Wed Oct 19 2005 01:09 am

 >  >  > I /need/ to know how that stupid "Free as in beer" got started.
 > 
 >  > They mean free as in a tangible object you can pass around.  Free as in
 >  > no-charge.  Beer just seems to be the thing most people like getting for
 >  > free I suppose.  :-)
 > 
 > At one time, bars used to solicit lunchtime trade by offering "free lunch"
 > to those who came in and bought beer.  (Ask RAH what he thinks about the
 > "free lunch" concept!).  Restaurants countered by offering "free beer" to
 > people who came in and bought lunch.
 > 
 > I am not entirely certain why "Free Beer" became the mental image of
 > something you didn't have to pay for.  It could have just as easily have
 > been "Free Lunch" or even (I suppose) "Free Delivery"....

Some people like to say "Free Ride."  THAT's intriguing.

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